Elijah And The Altar Of Fire Craft
Introduction
Elijah was a prophet of God who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab. Elijah's story is found in the Bible, particularly in the book of 1 Kings. One of Elijah's most famous stories is his showdown with the prophets of the false god Baal on Mount Carmel. This story can be used to teach children about the power of God and the importance of faith.
Materials
To create an Elijah and the altar of fire craft, you will need:
- Construction paper (brown, blue, green, and red)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Markers or crayons
- Cotton balls
- Small rocks or pebbles
Instructions
Follow these steps to create your Elijah and the altar of fire craft:
- Cut out a brown rectangle to represent the altar. Glue it onto a blue construction paper to represent the sky.
- Cut out green triangles to represent the mountains. Glue them onto the blue paper on either side of the altar.
- Cut out a red flame shape. Glue cotton balls onto the bottom of the flame to represent smoke.
- Glue the flame onto the top of the altar.
- Draw Elijah on a separate piece of paper. Cut him out and glue him onto the altar.
- Add small rocks or pebbles around the base of the altar to represent the stones that Elijah used to build the altar.
- Use markers or crayons to add details to the mountains and sky.
The Story of Elijah and the Prophets of Baal
Elijah was a prophet of God who lived during the time of King Ahab. King Ahab and his wife, Queen Jezebel, worshipped the false god Baal. They had convinced many of the people of Israel to worship Baal as well.
Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a showdown on Mount Carmel. He told them to build an altar and place a bull on it, but not to light the fire. Elijah would do the same, and they would both call upon their respective gods to light the fire.
The prophets of Baal went first. They called upon their god to light the fire, but nothing happened. They danced and shouted and even cut themselves, but still no fire.
Then it was Elijah's turn. He rebuilt the altar of God that had been torn down and placed the bull on it. He poured water over the bull three times to make it even more difficult for God to light the fire.
But when Elijah called upon God, fire came down from heaven and consumed the bull, the altar, and even the water that was in the trench around the altar. The people who had been watching fell to their knees and declared that the Lord was God.
Teaching Children about Elijah and the Altar of Fire
This craft can be used to teach children about the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Here are some discussion questions to ask:
- Who was Elijah?
- What was the name of the false god that King Ahab and Queen Jezebel worshipped?
- What did Elijah challenge the prophets of Baal to do?
- What did the prophets of Baal do to try to get their god to light the fire?
- What did Elijah do to make it more difficult for God to light the fire?
- What happened when Elijah called upon God to light the fire?
- What did the people who had been watching declare?
You can also use this craft to talk about the power of God and the importance of faith. You can ask children how they have seen God work in their lives and how they can trust Him even when things seem impossible.
Conclusion
The story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal is a powerful reminder of the power of God and the importance of faith. By creating an Elijah and the altar of fire craft, children can learn about this story in a fun and interactive way. This craft can also be used as a tool to discuss the power of God and how we can trust Him in all situations.